byDominic PattenWell, this is becoming a bit of a weekly tradition now, isn’t it? For a third consecutive week and the fourth time this season,The Walking Deadhas solidly beatSunday Night Footballamong adults 18-49. In the sixth episode of its fifth season, the blockbusterAMCseries drew a 7.3 rating among the key demo while the New England Patriots’ 42-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts got a 6.2. That’s a 15% spread.

The Walking Dead bopped up 4% in the demo from last week. Demo-to-demo in the 9 PM hour, Walking Dead drew 9.22 million, while SNF pulled in 8.1 million with a rating of 6.4.

Undoubtedly due to the blowouts that have been frequent of late on SNF and the amazing traction the zombie-apocalypse series has shown, last night’s results now doubles the number of times Walking Dead has taken down NBC’s flagship NFL show compared with last season. The Walking Dead’s first victory over SNF this season was on October 12, when its Season 5 debut got a 8.7 to the NFL game’s 6.6 final national result.

Last night’s SNF’s numbers likely will go up in the final nationals, but even that will see WD still come out on top. Last night’s game was even in fast nationals with the week before, when the Green Bay Packers solidly beat the Chicago Bears. That November 9 game went up to 6.5 in final nationals — easily still behind The Walking Dead.

In terms of overall viewers, Walking Dead had an audience of n1early 4.1 million last night. With only two more Sunday matchups before WD goes on hiatus, the question now is who will be the ratings Super Bowl champ when all is said and done on November 30, Sunday Night Football or The Walking Dead? We’re taking your bets.